REPORT – CHIDDINGFOLD, LECONFIELD & COWDRAY – PARHAM RACES (SATURDAY 25TH APRIL

Parham Races on Saturday 25th April enjoyed a day of exciting racing in the sunshine
which saw some of the bookmaker’s favourites overturned and also saw victories at
both fixtures at Parham for three horses.

The Intermediate race kicked off the day and saw Hannah Hickman-Jones trained
Creapapy record his second success of the season and his second win this year at
Parham as he denied Luke Price trained Shareyourbiscuits who had been sent off the
1/3 favourite with a four length success. Creapapy took up the lead as the runners
headed out onto their final circuit of the course and was able to maintain his advantage.
Time To Upgrade finished third whilst Happy Larry pulled up.

The next race of the day was the maiden race and was the most dramatic race of the
day. Phil York trained Noir du Tay was sent off the favourite to lose his maiden status,
but he was a faller at the sixth fence which left four runners grouped together, but at
fence eight David Phelan trained Emmet Square was pulled up and dismounted leaving
only three runners with over half of the race to go. As the three remaining runners made
the turn towards the fourth fence from home they all still had a chance of winning but
both Halla Paroiste and Wait At The Gate appeared to be travelling better than Can’t
Buy Time, but Halla Paroiste was pulled up before the third fence from home which
allowed Wait At The Gate to pull clear and open up a comfortable advantage over Can’t
Buy Time. Safely negotiating the final two fences Wait At The Gate stormed to victory
whilst Can’t Buy Time completed for the first time in seven starts to finish second.

The level two conditions race for novice riders was next and saw four runners start. Rob
Varnham trained Imperial Esprit ridden by Katie Featherstone led from the fall of the
starter’s flag and held off a later challenge from Georgie Howell trained Mawlood and
David Phelan trained Carrolls Cottage to record his second victory of the season at
Parham. Mawlood held onto second place ahead of Carrolls Cottage whilst What A
Steal fell at the fourteenth fence.

The mixed open only saw two runners declared and Inchidaly Robin was sent off the 4/9
favourite but having been held up to sit behind Rob Varnham trained Empire de Maulde
throughout the race he was unable to pass the leader who was able to open up an
advantage at the penultimate fence and went on to win b y four lengths providing Rob
Varnham with a training double on the day.

The owner-trainer conditions race also only saw two declared runners and Katie
Featherstone owned, trained and ridden Petite Mike was able to lead from the fall of the
starters flag and was a comfortable ten length winner of the race to record his second
win at the course this year which he also achieved in 2025. Alyce Fisher’s Poli Roi
completed for second.

The restricted race completed the day and saw four runners. Luke Price trained
Galudon who was a faller at fence two at Penshurst two weeks previously, made
amends and took the victory. Galudon was held up for the early stages of the race
alongside David Phelan trained Carrickfergus whilst Gardie Grissell trained Cossack
Dancer and Alan Hill trained Nice To See You set the pace of the race. As the four
runners approached the penultimate fence both Galudon and Carrickfergus passed the
leader Nice To See You, and started the battle to the winning post, but it was Galudon
who found an extra burst of speed after the final fence on the run to the winning post to
win the race. Nice To See You finished third and Cossack Dancer who lost touch in the
closing stages of the race also completed for fourth place

Photographer – Sue Bird https://www.jsbeephotography.com/